Acetylene-gas generator.



`Patented s epvf. 2,1902.

No. 708,02I.

c. w. CALDWELL. ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application filed Oct. 24, 1901.)

` 3 Sheets-Sheet I.

co.. How-uma, WASHINGTON, D, c.

N0. 708,02l. Patented Sept, 2,. |902.

c.,`w. CALDWELL ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR. i (Appicmon med oet. 24, 1901.)(No Modei.) u 3 heets -She'et-3.

THE Nonnls PETERS ca. Pgiooufno.. wAsmNc-TQN, u. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT k OEEICE.

CHARLES W. CALDWELL, OF WATERLOO., IOWA, ASSIGNOR TO THE RAILROAD GASLIGHTING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

AC ETYLENEGAS GENERATOR.

-`Sp1EGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 708,021, datedSeptember 2, 1902. Application led October 24, 1901. Serial No. 79,810.(No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, CHARLES W. CALDWELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Waterloo, in the county of Blackhawk and State,

of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAcetylene-Gas -Generators, of which the following is a specification,reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in acetylene-gas generatorsdesigned for use in the manufacture of gas for use in illuminatingrailway-coaches; and it has for one of its objects the providing of animproved generator which by reason of its shape and size can beconveniently located in a railway-coach, and preferably in one cornerthereof, and so constructed and arranged with relation to the coach-bodythat its upper end will project through the roof of the coach and at itslower end having connections-that project through the oor of the coach,whereby the following advantages are secured: In case of the overturningof the coach the movable bell, with which all such generators areordinarily provided, will be allowed to become disconnected from thebody vof the apparatus, thereby permitting the escape of such gas as mayhave been formed and held confined by such bell and preventing an.explosion. In the iilling of the apparatus with both water and carbidthe operations are enabled to be performed entirely from the roof of thecoach, and in removing refuse from the generating-chamber and inremoving water from both the upper and lower parts of the apparatus,lwhich latter operation is desirable at times, the connections extendingthrough the floor of the coach permit of these operations beingperformed readily and quicklyand without the necessity of 'an "attendantentering the coach. A j j H OtherV objects of my invention are toprovide a new'andimproved valve for controlling the discharge of carbidto the generatingchamber, to provide improved devices for automaticallyoperating said valve, and to improve the construction andoperation of'generators of this character.

I accomplish these objects by the means shownin the drawings andhereinafter specifically described. l

That which I believe to be new will be pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a longitudinal section througha railwaycoach, the gas-generator being shown in plan view in one cornerof the coach. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the coach at line 2 2of Fig. l, the generator being shown in side elevation. Fig. 3 is avertical section through the generator. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectionthrough the carbid-chamber and valve therein on line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig.5 is a cross-section at line 5 5 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a ,similar sectionat line 6 6 of Fi". 3. Fig. 7 is a detail of the valve-operatingdevices. Fig. Sis a perspective view of the devices shown in Fig. 7.Fig. 9 is a detail of the upper end of the chamber containing thecarbid-holder and the surrounding cover and illustrating the means forlookin g the two together; and Fig. 10 is a detail, being a verticalKsection through a portion of the carbid-holder and its inclosing tubeand the valve and valve-casing within the carbid-holder.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates the floor of an ordinaryrailway-coach, B the roof thereof, and C D the side and end walls,respectively.

11 indicates a cylinder which constitutes the xed portion of thegenerator and which, as shown in the drawings, is bolted firmly to theiioor of the coach.

12 indicates the gas-generating chamber formed in the lower end of thecylinder 11, such chamber being formed by a cross-wall 13 on theinterior ofthe cylinder. Such wall in the construction shown is inclinedfrom the side of the cylinder upward toward the center, an opening beingformed in the center'of such inclined wall, around which and secured tosuch wall and extending upwardly therefrom is a long tube 14, open atboth ends, into which is adapted to it and move therein asuitably-shaped carbid-holder 15. In the lower end of the carbid-holder15 is located a valve-casing 16, the same beingv formed in theconstruction shown of a tube open at its lower end and having its closedupper end inclined so as to direct carbid falling upon it toward thespace between the wall of the carbid-holder and the valve-casing. Saidcasing, as shown, is of very much less diameter than the diameter of thecarbidholder and is supported centrally in such carbid-holder at thelower end thereof byinclined plates 17 18, rigidly secured to theinterior of the carbid-holder 15 and the exterior ot the valve-casing16. The inclined plates 17 are provided with suitable openings 17",through which carbid is adapted to pass and fall upon the inclinedplates 18, the inclination of the plates 18 being such as to direct thecarbid toward the openings 19, formed in the lower end of thevalvecasing 16. Said openings 19 are normally closed by a valve 20,tubular in shape in the form of construction shown, open at its lowerend and closed at its upper end and adapted to tit and move verticallywithin the casing 16.

21 indicates the bell or movable portion ot' the apparatus, formed, asare all such bells, with an open lower end and a closed upper end andadapted to tit and move freely within the stationary cylinder 11. Thecylinder 11 above the wall 13 is to be partially filled, as will beunderstood, with water, so as to act as a seal to prevent the escape ofgas through the open lower end of the bell.

22 indicatesacover of tubular form adapted to it over the central tube14, such cover being long enough to extend well down into the water inthe upper portion of the cylinder and when down in place adapted to beremovably secured in any suitable manner to said tube 14, the meansshown being a lock of well-known form, consisting of an inclined groove23 in the upper end of the tube 14 and a pin 24 on the inside of thecover 22 and adapted to enter such groove. In the upper wall of thecover 22 is formed a suitable opening through which carbid may be placedin the holder 15, said opening being normally closed by any suitabledevice, a large screw 25, that engages the side walls of said opening,being indicated as the closing means for such opening.

With the bell 21 removed water is to be poured into the open upper endof the cylinder 11, and upon reaching the level desired it will owthrough a hole 26 in the wall of the cylinder and down through a passage27, suitably formed at the side of such cylinder, and through anotherhole 28 near the lower end of such passage, and near the lower end ofthe cylinder 11 it will flow into the generating-chamber 12 and rise tothe desired level, the fact of such level being reached being indicatedby an overliow of the water through a pipe 29, that communicates at itsupper end with the passage 27 through a hole 30 in the wall of thecylinder, the lower end of such pipe passing down through a suitableopening in the bottom of the cylinder and through the floor A of thecoach. This arrangement insures the proper quantity of water and onlythe proper quantity being placed in both the upper and lower portions ofthe cylinder, and as any excess is immediately disposed of through thepipe 29 the attendant does not have to exercise any particular care inregard to the quantity placed in the machine, except to continue thefilling until the fiow of water through the pipe 29 indicates thatenough has been placed in the machine.

31 indicates a valve-rod placed vertically in the central portion ot'the machine and extending up into the central tube 14 and contacting atits upper end the end wall at the upper end of the valve 20, suchvalve-rod in the form of construction shown not being attached to saidvalve, but moving it upward, when such valve-rod is properly actuated,as hereinafter described, by the contact of its upper end with the upperwall of such valve, the lower or closing movement of such valve beingeffected by gravity, although it is evident, of course, that without theexercise of invention a spring might be employed to aid in quickly andeffectively forcing said valve down to shut ott the supply of carbidthrough the openings 19.

32 indicates a guiding-support for the valverod 31, such supportconsisting, as shown, of a Wire twisted on itself to form a central eyethrough which the rod passes. The ends of the support are suitablysecured at opposite points to the inner face of the tube 14.

33 indicates a horizontally-arranged rod, journaled near its inner endin the lower end of a hanger 34 and journaled near its outer end in asuitable stuiiing-box 35 in the wall of the cylinder 11. Said rod 33projects for a short distance beyond the wall of the cylinder. The innerend of this rod 33 is turned to form a crank 36, which is looselyconnected in any suitable manner to the lower end of the valve-rod 33.

On the outer end ot' the rod 33 and outside ot' the cylinder 11 isrigidly secured a crankarm 37, extending in the opposite direction fromthe crank 36, and to this crank-arm 37, near its outer or free end, isattached by a suitable pivot 38 a lever 39, the point of attachment ofthis lever 39 being such that one end of it passes beneath the rod 33.This construction holds the lever 39 rigidly when a downward pressure isexerted upon its outer or free end, and consequently such downwardpressure will act to rotate the rod 33 in its bearings 34 35, the effectbeing through the crank 36 to force upward the valve-rod 31, which willforce up the valve 20, uncovering the openings 19 and allowing theescape of carbid from the holder 15 into the gas-generating chamber 12.This movement of the parts is effected by the falling of the bell, dueto the drawing ott of gas, as will be well understood.

To the bell is connected a long vertical rod 40, which in the form ofconstruction shownI IIO is provided at its lower end with' a fork 41,adapted to contact with-the lever 39 near the outer or free end thereof.Asthe bell descends the contact of this fork 4l with such end of thelever causes the movements heretofore described for operating the valve,and upon the rising of the bell, due to the introduction thereunder ofnewly-formed gas, the

pressure on the lever of course will be released, and through thereverse movement of the parts the valve will be closed, the weight ofthe valve or the weight and the effect of a spring, if a spring be usedin connection with the-valve, causing such .reverse movement. It will beunderstood that but a small amount of` carbid will be fed from time totime, and this only as needed, so that under ordinary conditions therise and fall of the bell will not be great, as it is the intentiontokeep about the same supply of gas in the apparatus at all times. Theparts are so arranged with relation to each other that when the supplyof carbid in the holder is exhausted and the bell descends to itslowermost position the rod 40, which will be carried down with thebellwill by contact of its fork with the lever 39 cause such lever toturn to such an extent upon its pivot 38 as to allow the fork to passsuch lever and be disengaged therefrom. This release of theconnectionbetween the fork 4lV and the lever 39 allows the valve to dropdown, ihus closing the openings 1'9, and thereby placing the holder inproper condition to be refilled. It will be understood that if the forkwere not so arranged as to be disengaged from the lever when the belldescended to its lowermost position the valve would bev left open, andhence the carbid-holder could not safely be refilled. After f vthecarbid-holder has been refilled and it is desired to again place themachine in operative condition` the lever 39 may be moved by handsuiciently to release a little carbid, whereby gas will be formed andraise the bell,

the raising of the bell, of course, drawingup the rod 40, such `drawingup of the `rod causing the lever to turn upward at its outer end untilsuch outer end is opposite the fork, at which time the lever will dropagain between the arms of the fork, and thereafter the operation of themachine will be automatic, as hereiny described; After the formation ofgasby the dropping of the carbid in the manner described into the `waterin the generating-,chamber l2 such gas passes upward through apipe 42,communicating with said chamber, from which pipe at the upper endthereof it passes through suitable openings 43, being deflected downwardinto the body of water in the upper part of the cylinder, suchdeflection downward being causedby a tubular hood 44, surrounding thepipe 42 and having its lower open-end extended down a` Aconsiderabledistance into saidvbody of water.. Such hood 44 is, as shown, secured tothe pipe 42 by arms 45. This hood 44is surrounded by another and similarhood 46, also suitably secured to the pipe 42 by arms 47.

Between the two hoods 44 and 46 above the water-line is placed aquantity of porous material 48, through which the gas can readily passand which is adapted to cleanse said gas from impurities. In the top ofthis hood-46 is anopening 49, which may be covered with a fine-meshscreen, if desired, through whichv the gas passes and is held confinedby the bell 2l. In drawing o such gas for consumption it passes downthrough a pipe 50, which, as shown, is provided also with a mass ofporous material 51, through which the gas canreadily pass and -inpassing be still further cleansed.

52 indicates a service-pipe connected to the pipe 50 by means of asuitable union '53, to the lower end of which union is also connected ashort section of pipe 54, extending down into the body of water in thechamber 12.

55 indicates a safety blow-off pipe open at both ends and extendingvertically through the machine, its lower end passing out through thebottom of the cylinder ll and through the floor A of the coach, asshown. The upper end of this pipe extends some distance above thewater-level in the upper part of the cyl inder 1l, and varound the pipeand extending well down into the said last-named body of water is atubular shield 56, attached to and carried by the bell 2l, said tubularshield being provided near its lower end with an opening 57, throughwhich the gas escapes when the bell is raised sufficiently to bringysuch opening above the water-level, 'and thereby permitting the gas topass o through the pipe 55 until the bell sinks far enough to carry suchopening 57 below the water-level.

5S indicates ahousing attached to the outer face of the cylinder ll anddesigned to surround and protect the vertical-'rod 40, being enlarged atits lower end, as shown-at 59, so as to inclose Vthe lever 39andattached parts.

By making the cylinder 1l long-'enoughl to extend from the door to theroof and through the roof of an ordinaryrrailway-coach Iam enabled tomake the diameter of such cylinder only ifteen'or sixteen inches and atthe same time provide an apparatus capable of holding a suicientquantity of-.carbid and water to enable the generation of gas inquantities whereby an ordinary coach may be'thoroughly lighted for along period of time. The A size and form of this apparatus enables it torailway-coach, so that itis not in the way of passengers and does notforman unsightly l addition to the equipment of such coach. Bythe-construction shown and describedrI also provide a generator that canbe very quickly filled both with water and carbid and suchv llingoperations performed rby a workman on the roof of thecoach and canfalsohave the water in both compartments readily drained off, as well as therefuse removed f from the machine, without the necessity of entering thecoach. As will be seen from the drawings, the water from the upperportion of the apparatus can be drained o through a pipe G0, and thewater and refuse from the lower compartment or gas-generating chambercan be drained oi through a pipe 61, both of these pipes 60 and 6lpassing down through the floor of the coach and being provided neartheir lower ends with suitable valves.

That which I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is-

l. The combination with a railway-coach, of an acetylene-gas-generatingapparatus secured within the same and projecting through the roof of thecoach, substantially as specilied.

2. The combination with a railway-coach, of an acetylene-gas-generatingapparatus secured within the same and projecting through the roof of thecoach, said apparatus comprising a fixed portion open at its upper end,and a movable bell within said fixed portion, whereby upon theoverturning of the coach said bell will be displaced and release the gasconfined thereby, substantially as specified.

3. The combination with a railway-coach, of an acetylene-gas-generatin gapparatus secured within the same and projecting through the roof of thecoach, and pipes leading from the interior of the said apparatus throughthe iioor of the coach, to permit the liquid and solid contents of theapparatus to be drawn 0E and discharged beneath the coach, substantiallyas specified.

4. In an acetylene-gas-generating apparatus, the combination with agas-generating chamber, and a gas-holding bell adapted to receive gasfrom said chamber and hold it, of a carbid-holder arrangedconcentrically with said gas-holding bell, a vertical valve-casing, openat its lower end, carried by that portion of the holderwithin thegas-holding bell and provided with an opening in the side wall thereofthrough which carbid is adapted to pass, a vertically-movable hollowvalve 1ocated in said casing, and adapted to normally close the saidopening in the wall of the casing, a rod adapted to enter said hollowvalve and abut against the end wall thereof, and means for forcing saidrod upward to raise said valve, said means being actuated through lthedownward movement of said bell, substantially as specified.

5. In an acetylene-gas-generating apparatus, the combination with agas-generating chamber, and a gas-holding bell adapted to receive gasfrom said chamber and hold it, of a carbid-holder arrangedconcentrically with said gas-holding bell, a vertical valve-casing, openat its lower end, carried by said holder and provided with an opening inthe side wall thereof through which carbid is adapted to pass, aninclined plate adapted to direct carbid toward said side-wall opening, avertically-moving valve located in said valvecasing and adapted tonormally close said side-wall opening in the casing, and means foractuating said valve through the movement of the bell, substantially asspecified.

G. In an acetylene-gas-generating apparatus, the combination of a gasgenerating chamber, and a gas-holding bell adapted to receive gas fromsaid chamber and hold it, of a carbid-holder communicating with saidgas-generating chamber and provided with a valve for controlling thedischarge of carbid, a movable valve-rod, a second rod provided with acrank at each end and connected with said valve-rod through one of saidcranks, a lever pivoted to t-he other of said cranks, means forpreventing said lever from turning in one direction on its pivot, andanother rod adapted to be actuated bythe bell and provided with meansfor engaging said pivoted lever, whereby through the irst two mentionedrods the valve will be opened to permit the discharge of carbid,substantially as speciiied.

7. In an acetylene-gas-generating apparatus, the combination with agas-generating chamber, and a gas-holding bell adapted to receive gasfrom said chamber and hold it, of a carbid -holder communicating withsaid gas-generating chamber and provided with a valve for controllingthe discharge of carbid, a movable valve-rod, a second rod provided witha crank at each end and connected with said valve-rod by means of one ofsaid cranks, a lever pivoted to the other of said cranks, means forpreventing said lever from turning in one direction on its pivot, andanother rod adapted to be actuated by the bell and provided on its lowerend with a fork adapted to contact the said pivoted lever, substantiallyas specified.

8. In an acetylene-gas-generating apparatus, the combination with agas-generating chamber, and a gas-holding bell adapted to receive gasfrom said chamber and hold it, of a carbid holder communicating withsaid gas-generating chamber and provided with a valve for controllingthe discharge of carbid, a movable valve-rod, a second rod provided witha crank at each end and connected with said valve-rod by means of one ofsaid cranks, a lever pivoted to the other of said cranks, means forpreventing said lever from turning in one direction on its pivot, andanother rod adapted to be actuated by the bell and provided at its lowerend with means for loosely connecting it to said pivoted lever,substantially as specified.

9. In an acetylene-gas-generating apparatus,the combination with agas-generating chamber, and a gas-holding bell adapted to receive gasfrom said chamber and hold it, of a carbid-holder communicating withsaid gas-generating chamber and provided with a valve for controllingthe discharge of carbid, a movable valve-rod, a second rod connected atone end with said valve-rod, a lever piv- IOD IIO

oted to the other end of said second rod, means opened to permit thedischarge of carbid, subfor preventing said lever from turning in onestantially as specified. direction on its pivot, and another rod adapt-1 edto be actuated by the bell and provided CHARLES, W' CALDWELL' 5 withmeans for engaging said pivoted lever, Vitnesses:

whereby, through the rst two mentioned BERNHARD STRIEGEL, rods, thevalve in the carbid-holder can be C. RABRADY.

